When a Canadian permanent residence application is approved, IRCC issues a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) — the official document confirming that the person has been approved to become a permanent resident of Canada. The COPR is not a PR card and does not by itself confer PR status — PR status is only confirmed when the person lands (for applicants outside Canada) or confirms through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal (for applicants already in Canada). This page explains what the COPR is, how the landing or confirmation process works depending on whether the applicant is inside or outside Canada, and what happens immediately after PR status is confirmed — including the PR card, Social Insurance Number, and access to government services.

For current information on the COPR and the PR confirmation process, refer to the IRCC COPR page and the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), s 46 — a person becomes a permanent resident when the officer is satisfied that they meet the requirements for PR — PR status is confirmed at landing or confirmation, not at application approval
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), s 176 — the COPR document and its information requirements
• IRPR, Part 1 — landing and confirmation of permanent residence procedural requirements
• IRCC: Confirmation of Permanent Residence document — canada.ca/COPR
• IRCC: PR confirmation portal (in Canada) — canada.ca/pr-confirmation-portal
• IRCC: If your Express Entry application is approved — canada.ca/express-entry-approved

What the COPR is

The Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) is a document issued by IRCC that:

• Confirms that the person has been approved to become a permanent resident of Canada
• Contains personal information including the person's name, date of birth, country of birth, immigration category, and the COPR expiry date
• Is used at the port of entry or through the online portal to formally confirm PR status
• Serves as proof of PR status while the PR card is being issued and mailed — the COPR (or e-COPR) can be used to access government services during this period

The COPR has an expiry date — the person must confirm PR status (land or confirm through the portal) before this date. The expiry date is typically set to allow sufficient time after approval to make travel arrangements, but it is not indefinitely extendable. If the COPR will expire before the person can land or confirm, they must contact IRCC to request an extension before the expiry date.

Two pathways — inside Canada vs outside Canada

The confirmation process depends on where the applicant is when the application is approved:

Applicants outside Canada — landing at a port of entry

If the PR application is approved while the applicant is outside Canada, they must travel to Canada and land at a Canadian port of entry (airport, land border, or marine port). At the PoE:

1. The applicant presents their valid passport and COPR to a CBSA officer
2. The officer confirms the applicant's identity and that the COPR is valid and matches the person
3. The officer confirms the applicant as a permanent resident — PR status takes effect at this moment
4. The officer may ask questions to verify the information in the application is still accurate — any material changes since the application was submitted (such as a new family member, a change in marital status, or a criminal matter) must be disclosed

Applicants with a COPR do not need a separate electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board a flight to Canada — the COPR serves as the travel document for this purpose.

Applicants already in Canada — Permanent Residence Portal

If the PR application is approved while the applicant is already in Canada (common for inland applicants — spousal sponsorship inland, CEC Express Entry, etc.), PR status is confirmed through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal:

1. IRCC notifies the applicant that the application is approved and invites them to confirm through the portal
2. The applicant logs in to the portal and confirms they are in Canada and declares their Canadian address and other required information
3. IRCC uploads an electronic COPR (e-COPR) to the applicant's portal account — this can take up to a few weeks
4. The e-COPR serves as proof of PR status until the PR card is received

Importantly: declaring in the portal that the applicant is in Canada does not itself make the person a permanent resident — PR status is only conferred when the e-COPR is issued and confirmation is complete. The applicant must be physically present in Canada at the time of the online confirmation.

After confirmation — PR card, SIN, and government services

Once PR status is confirmed:

PR card

• Applicants must provide their Canadian mailing address and upload a digital photo through the portal within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident to receive the first PR card by mail
• The PR card is mailed to the address provided — it is not issued at the port of entry or immediately upon confirmation
• While waiting for the PR card, the COPR or e-COPR serves as proof of PR status in Canada — it is accepted by employers, financial institutions, and government services
• For travel outside Canada while waiting for the PR card, the person will need a PRTD (Permanent Resident Travel Document) if the PR card has not yet been received

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

• Permanent residents are eligible for a SIN immediately after PR status is confirmed
• A SIN can be obtained at a Service Canada location — bring the COPR (or e-COPR printout) and the passport as supporting documents
• A SIN is required for employment in Canada and to access certain federal programs and benefits

Access to government services and benefits

• Provincial health insurance: eligibility for provincial health coverage starts on different dates in different provinces — most provinces have a waiting period of up to 3 months for new arrivals; the COPR establishes the start date for this waiting period
• Federal benefits: permanent residents become eligible for various federal benefits (including, eventually, OAS and CPP contributions if working) on a timeline set by the specific benefit program

For information on the PR card, travel outside Canada, and residency obligation, see the permanent resident card page and the residency obligation page.

One of the most common confusion points is that PR status is not granted at application approval — the COPR is issued but status is only confirmed at landing or through the portal. An applicant who holds a COPR but has not yet landed or confirmed through the portal is not yet a permanent resident and does not have PR rights. This matters for employment authorisation, health coverage waiting periods, and residency obligation counting — all of these begin at the date of landing/confirmation, not the date of approval. Similarly, the 180-day window to submit an address and photo for the PR card is frequently missed by applicants who do not prioritize this step after confirming — missing the window means having to apply separately for the PR card. For current COPR procedures, the Permanent Residence Portal, and PR card application instructions, refer to the IRCC COPR page.